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  “Look what I got you.” He points at the plate.

  “How did you manage to get three when you got there so late?”

  “By employing my irresistible charm and talent.”

  I drop my bag on the sand, sitting at the other end of the sunbed. “Fess up. Does that include distraction or stealing?”

  “Negative. I went directly to the kitchen and asked for a new batch.”

  “Oh, wow.”

  I bite into a muffin, taking him in. He runs his hand through his hair again, frustration etched onto his features.

  “Sooo, who was that on the phone?”

  He hesitates. “Amy. She called about the fiasco yesterday. Her manager and PR team are going berserk.”

  “Why? You’re painted as the bad guy.”

  “Yeah, but this will impact the box office turnout for our movie.”

  “Wow, really?”

  “When you use the costars’ real-life relationship as a main selling point, yes.”

  I move on to the second muffin, pondering just how screwed up it must be for your professional life to be so entangled with your personal life. A question burns on my lips, but it’s not my place to ask, damn it.

  “Summer?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What is it that you want to ask me?”

  I startle, squeezing the muffin so tight that my fingers sink into it. Am I that transparent?

  “I... doesn’t matter.”

  He eyes the half-mashed muffin in my hand. “This is the first time I’ve talked to her in a month. I don’t have romantic feelings for her anymore. If I’m honest, things between us were rocky long before we broke up. Does that answer any... potential questions?”

  I swear to God, my heart just sprouted wings, and it’s about to take off from my chest.

  “Wow. Yeah, you could say that.”

  I cross and uncross my legs, then cross them again, trying to finish eating the smashed mushed-up muffin as elegantly as possible.

  Alex scoots closer until he’s right in my face. “I don’t want you to regret last night.”

  “Last night was spectacular. No place for regrets.”

  I have the strangest feeling that Alex senses I’m having trouble separating physical sizzle from emotional connection.

  “Tell me you gave her a piece of your mind about sending you that ring like that,” I say.

  “I did. She apologized, said she didn’t know how to handle it.”

  “How will you manage the situation from yesterday?”

  “My manager and PR team will talk to the studio, and then they’ll draw up a plan.”

  “Isn’t it weird, having other people decide so much for you?”

  He laces his fingers on top of his head, looking out on the water. “It’s a relief most of the time. When I’m filming a project or promoting a movie, I don’t even have time to deal with stuff like that. I know it’s not neurosurgery or something, it’s not like what I do is vital. But I love my job. I love entertaining people.”

  “Hey, I’m with you on this. I think arts are important. They feed the mind.”

  “I like not having to decide on all the PR stuff. Anyway, the damage in this case was done years ago when I agreed to let the studio use my private life as a marketing tool. The studio will have the final say on how to handle this. They put a lot of money in both movies.”

  “My head is spinning.”

  “Mine too, trust me.”

  I foresee many unpleasant days ahead of him. He needs some serious distraction, but all I come up with are sinfully sexy activities. Nope, not going there again, not even mentally. I’m happy we’re still on a friendly basis, that the awkwardness didn’t overshadow that. But even as I mull those thoughts over, I fear I can’t just be Alex’s friend.

  “I’m going back out on a Jet Ski later today. What do you say? Time to take on that fear of deep water head-on?”

  “Maybe.”

  “What will it take to convince you to join me?” he asks.

  “Aww, come on, you know my weakness. Muffins.”

  He licks his lower lip, his eyes raking over my body. “I’d say I discovered a few more things that make you weak.”

  Wait a minute... are sexy innuendos on the table? What kind of double-edged sword are these one-night-stand rules? How am I supposed to do this without letting on how much I want him again? Wait, does it mean he wants me again? I don’t want to let myself think that. It’s a fool’s hope, given the drama surrounding his love life. And maybe one night was enough for him. Why the teasing, then?

  “Not the ones that make me weakest,” I reply. There. See what he does with that.

  “Are you challenging me?”

  “Something wrong with that?”

  “You’re delicious.”

  His eyes flash, and I wonder if he’s remembering that moment when I nearly toppled onto his face. Heat rises to my cheeks, so I turn to look out on the water, feeling like my entire face—even the roots of my hairs—are going to catch fire. I’m not even going to address the situation between my legs. I’ve passed the stage of fire there. It’s a billowing inferno.

  I focus on the lake and the prospect of taking it on. And being on a Jet Ski isn’t the same thing as being in the water. I’ll be guessing how deep it is, but I won’t experience that dreadful feeling of not being able to touch the floor.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you. Go out on the water with me.”

  I startle because I hadn’t realized Alex had shifted right behind me. He rests a hand on my waist, warm and reassuring. If anyone else asked me, the answer would be a firm no. But Alex has seen me in some quite vulnerable moments already, and I can’t help but trust him. And really, this fear of mine is ridiculous.

  “Okay. I’ll go.”

  ***

  “Why aren’t you wearing a life vest?” I ask later as a hotel employee helps us onto a Jet Ski. Alex goes first, sitting in front.

  “Because I feel hot as it is. I’ll cook in it.”

  So will I, probably, but no way in hell am I going out without one. I’m wearing a wetsuit too, even though I don’t plan to actually touch the water, but you never know. Several brave souls are swimming bare-skinned, but I’d need the water to be at least twenty degrees warmer for that.

  I look like a little robot with the neon orange vest reaching all the way to my ass and the black wetsuit. I sit behind Alex, eyeing the water like the fiend it is.

  “Hold onto me,” Alex instructs, which I do, wrapping my arms around his middle, my palms flat on his stomach. Yum.

  This will be a Jet Ski ride with benefits. I get to feel him up and call it holding on to him. He stirs the motor to life, and I yelp as he propels us forward, scooting even closer to him until I’m pressed tight against his back.

  “If you want me to stop or turn around, just say so, okay?” he shouts over the sound of the engine and the water splashing around us.

  “Okay,” I yell back.

  “But try to relax a bit and enjoy the view.” I try to ease my grip on him and look around us instead of hiding my face in his back. That’s not the point of this outing. If I was going to be a coward, I could have stayed on shore.

  After a few more minutes of cowering, I finally sit up straight, holding my hands on the sides of his waist only. Feeling brave, I even push myself back a little on the seat, so I can move freely, turn on one side, then the other. My heart rate slows down gradually, as I immerse myself in the glorious sight. Endless blue sky, endless blue water and beautiful mountains surrounding us. Gosh, the water’s beautiful. I spot one or two multicolored fish swimming leisurely around. Leaning a bit on the right side, I try to make out if one of them is indeed neon green, or if it’s a light trick.

  WHAM. SPLASH.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Alex

  It takes me a few seconds to realize that the breeze suddenly hitting my back means Summer isn’t on the Jet Ski to block it anymore. I turn my head wildly a
round, but I can’t see her in the water. Fuck, where’s my girl?

  I press the brake, but through sheer residual propelling force, the Jet Ski covers a few more feet before stopping. The second it comes to a halt, I scan the water all around. A knot lodges in my throat when I see a pair of flailing arms almost half a mile away. Jesus, how did I drop her?

  Chewing the inside of my cheek, I speed in her direction, stopping when I’m just one foot away and dive right into the water.

  “Summer!” I catch one of her hands, stopping her wild flailing, pulling her into my arms.

  “I can’t touch the floor. I can’t touch it,” she says feverishly between sobs. Her entire body is shaking, tears streaming down her face.

  “Summer, you have a life vest on, and you can swim anyway. And you have me.”

  She doesn’t seem to hear a word. She keeps trying to sink deeper, and it takes me a few seconds to realize she keeps hoping she’ll reach the bottom. Jesus, how do I show her she’s safe?

  Keeping myself afloat just by paddling with my feet, I cup her face in both hands.

  “Summer, look at me.”

  She braces her hands on my wrists, her eyes, large and wild, and so damn scared it cuts right through me. “The water is deep here, but you have nothing to worry about. I can’t touch the floor either, but it’s easy to keep afloat. And you have a life vest. You couldn’t drown if you tried.”

  She grips my wrists so tightly that my skin hurts, but I wouldn’t care if she stopped my entire circulation.

  “H-how deep do you think the water is?” she whispers. Well, shit. I don’t know exactly, but I have to make her focus on something else.

  “Let’s get you on that Jet Ski, sweetness. Hold on to one of my arms.”

  She releases one of my wrists slowly, then quickly grabs the other with both hands.

  “That’s perfect. You’re doing great. Just look at me while I get you on the Jet Ski. Personally, I don’t know why you’d look anywhere else anyway. I’m by far the sexiest thing around.”

  She gives me a small smile, but fear still lingers on her features. She doesn’t break eye contact once. She’s putting all her trust in me, and I won’t let her down. When we reach the Jet Ski, I lift her onto it first.

  “Do you want to drive? It’s really easy, and you’ll feel in control.”

  She shakes her head. “You drive. I trust you.”

  I propel myself out of the water and slide in front of her. She immediately wraps her arms around me, holding me so tightly I barely breathe.

  “Feel me up all you want, sweetness. I’m here for you to take advantage of.”

  She chuckles but doesn’t loosen her grip. I lurch forward.

  Several of the older kids are lined up the shore as we approach. Aren’t they supposed to be in their Spanish class? Maybe it’s already time for their first break.

  “Summer, what happened?” one of the girls asks as the two of us come out of the water.

  Another is bouncing up and down the balls of her feet. “Are you okay?”

  We were close enough to shore that Summer’s wild arm flailing didn’t go unnoticed. She’s still shaking.

  But she straightens up, gazes at the bunch of scared kids, and smiles. “Just being silly. Fell off the Jet Ski, but nothing happened. I’m okay.” Her voice is remarkably steady given that she’s still shaking. “I just need a hot shower, and I’ll be as good as new.”

  Several kids seem unconvinced. Summer smiles at them. “I’m okay. Don’t think you can use me as an excuse to weasel out of the class. When’s your break over?”

  “Five minutes ago,” one admits.

  “What? Off you go! Come on.”

  They leave, walking slowly and glancing over their shoulders. Summer keeps smiling until they’re out of sight. Then she seems to fold into herself.

  Wordlessly she walks past the sunbed where we sat before the ride and picks up her beach bag, then starts in the general direction of her bungalow. I walk right beside her, and since she doesn’t say anything, I gather that she needs me by her side as much as I need to make sure she’s all right.

  A few guests look at us on the way, and the thought any of them might snap a picture crosses my mind. But what if they did? There’s nothing to see. Just two friends walking together.

  When we reach her bungalow, I take the card out of her shaky hands and unlock the front door.

  “Thank you, Alex.”

  Her voice falters on my name. As much as I admired that she pulled on every ounce of her self-control to reassure the kids, I like that she doesn’t feel the need to play brave for me.

  “I’ll wait for you to shower, okay?”

  “I promise I won’t have a panic attack in the tub. I was so silly.” She shrugs, smiling in a self-deprecating way as we go inside. I’m not having any of it.

  “You were scared, Summer. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone has irrational fears.”

  “What are yours?”

  “Tiny elevators and finding worms in fruit.”

  She gives me a small laugh.

  “Hey, these aren’t even my worst ones. Go ahead and shower, I’ll wait here.”

  Later, when she comes out, hair dry, a towel wrapped around her, covering her from her chest down to her knees, she walks straight into my open arms. I hold her tightly, inhaling the smell of her shampoo.

  “Alex?” she whispers.

  “Hmm?”

  “Can you stay with me? Just for a little while?”

  “Yes.” I wrap her even tighter in my arms. “I’ll stay. But I need to shower too, or I’ll mess up your room.”

  “I suppose you should.”

  I never showered as fast in my life. Wrapping a towel around my waist, I head back to her. She’s already curled in her bed on one side, sheet up to her chin. I slide right next to her and notice she’s wearing shorts and a loose tank top. The swell of one of her nipples is showing. Lust loops through me. I barely resist teasing her about going to bed naked. This isn’t why she asked me to stay. She hugs her pillow, falling asleep almost instantly. A while later, so do I.

  I wake up with a hard-on. Summer is turned with her back to me, her ass pressing straight against my erection. I have one arm around her waist, my hand wedged between her side and the mattress, as if trying to keep her from moving away from me. Carefully, I attempt to take my hand out.

  “You’re awake?” she whispers.

  “Yes. How long have you been awake?”

  “A while, but I didn’t want to move in case you woke up too. And, umm... I think your towel slipped off.” She sounds as if she’s fighting a giggle.

  I check under the cover, and the towel sure had sure slipped off. I groan. “You can add that to my list of fears. Having a raging hard-on at the wrong time.”

  “You’re in bed with a seminaked woman. Don’t be too hard on yourself.” This time she does giggle. I take that as a sign that she’s over the deep-water incident.

  “What time is it?”

  “We were only asleep for an hour.” She points to the digital clock display in the right-hand corner of the TV. Then she turns around, and I get a glimpse of her nipple again. All blood pulls south.

  I focus on her eyes, which are trained on me. I caress the side of her face, and she leans into my touch, kissing the heel of my palm. The contact zings me.

  “Summer, I want you.”

  She giggles again, but the sound is breathier. “The sword under the cover gave that away.”

  “I know we said one night, but I can’t keep that promise.” I swallow, searching for the right words. “I know my life comes with an XL-sized bag of complications... even though it doesn’t feel like it when I’m here, with you.”

  “Is that because I make a fool of myself every chance I get?” She bats her eyelashes, grinning. “Or because I still haven’t asked you for an autograph?”

  “Nah, the way you moan my name when I’m inside you won me over.”

  She
gasps mockingly. “You did not just say that.”

  “You’re unlike anyone else I ever met, Summer. You’re everything I didn’t know I wanted.”

  Her lips part, a mix of tenderness and surprise etched on her beautiful face.

  “So let’s forget about the complications while we’re in here,” she whispers. “Let’s just be Alex and Summer for the next week.”

  I’d take anything she wants to give me. Given the messy state of my affairs, I don’t have more to offer beyond this week anyway. But this attachment I feel for her will only grow if we spend more time together. The smart thing to do would be to pull back altogether, but all I want is to give her more.

  I kiss her, desire sweeping through every cell in my body. I lick her lower lip, tugging it between my teeth before moving lower, kissing her neck. I roll her onto her back, needing to feel her under me.

  Her eyes wide and searching, she holds onto my shoulders tightly, shimmying under me until we’re touching at so many contact points that I don’t know where she ends and I begin, but still, she pulls me closer. I cradle her to me, needing that closeness too.

  Having a carte blanche for one night is one thing, but this... this is different, deeper. She opens up, cradling my erection between her thighs, and I instinctively know what she needs. I’m going to give it to her in spades. I rub my hard-on against her center, the thin cotton of her shorts the only thing between us.

  She gasps, fisting the sheet with one hand, my hair with the other. Kissing every inch of skin within reach, I rub back and forth, feeling her arousal dampening the fabric.

  “Summer, do you have condoms?”

  “No,” she says, shaking her head, her hips arching up when I move downward, pulling her shorts. The sight of her swollen, glistening flesh beckons to me. “But I need you to touch me.”

  “Oh, I will. I can make you feel good without being inside you, sweetness.”

  I drag the tip of my tongue up one fold, almost near the clit, but not quite, watching as she pinches her eyes shut in anticipation. I suck on her clit once before descending, licking her entrance, going even lower. She straightens one of her bent legs with a start, her back arching.

  “Alex! Oh, Alex!”